


destiny

by fullsan



Category: Stray Kids (Band)
Genre: Alternate Universe - Royalty, Domestic, Fluff, Happy Ending, How Do I Tag, Internalized Homophobia, M/M, SecretStay2019
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-12-25
Updated: 2019-12-25
Packaged: 2021-02-26 07:41:59
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 8,343
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/21939889
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/fullsan/pseuds/fullsan
Summary: No words were exchanged between them after that. Felix’s breathing was so relaxing for Jeongin, so like home. He felt at ease, he felt completely safe. Maybe it was truly his destiny, being there sleeping next to Felix in his bed inside the palace.
Relationships: Han Jisung | Han/Lee Minho | Lee Know, Hwang Hyunjin/Kim Seungmin, Lee Felix/Yang Jeongin | I.N
Comments: 4
Kudos: 44





	destiny

**Author's Note:**

  * For [minizode](https://archiveofourown.org/users/minizode/gifts).



> merry christmas!! made this for my secret stay, i hope you enjoy it a lot and that you have a happy end of the year, a happy new year and that you are happy overall!!! lixie loves you ♥

Jeongin didn’t thought about it carefully. The walls were higher than he could ever imagine, and everything was so clean he could see his own reflection. He should have stayed at home rather than coming with his father, even if the conditions were worse. 

He worked at his father’s bakery, in a small village right next to the capital city. The situation wasn’t the best, but they made enough for a living. The whole country was in war with the neighboring country, located next to the mountains. Only the ones that lived in the capital still had everything from their lives. They didn’t lose anything, or money, or the situation in general worsened. It was enough with a 5 minute walk around the village to know that they were poor — and to see everything about it.

One day, some men riding horses came and claimed that they wanted to see their father. They heard that he used to be one of the best chefs while he was young, and that he still make good bread. They offered him a full-time work as an intern, as the head chef of the palace. Jeongin really wished he didn’t, but he understood the situation. He had to do it. Not only for himself, but for Jeongin. 

However, he would never forget how people gossiped about them leaving the poor life to live like kings in the palace, how could they betray them like that and leave them without a bakery in the village. His father gave no importance to them.

“Jeongin, you have to remember that whatever you do in this world is going to get criticized.”

And he was right. If they had stayed, they would be called dumb for wasting such a good opportunity, that comes once in a lifetime. They also had no option but to accept it, since they were direct orders from the king. What he didn’t expect at all, was that there was a condition for him too: he should befriend the prince.

The mysterious prince, that was around his age, was never seen by anyone. Nor even the people who attended the commemorative parties. Even the people who stopped working there and went back to their normal lives didn’t know the prince’s name or how his face looked like. Of course, there were a lot of rumors about it. It was said that the prince never existed, that “he” in fact was a girl, that he was ugly or that he was kidnapped. Jeongin heard a lot of rumors throughout his life. However, he never believed one of them. He thought that the identity of a prince who was born during a war period should be protected, so it was normal that it was still a secret, even after 17 years.

Everyone was excited, because the prince’s coronation was just months away. The coronation meant that the prince will start ruling with his father, taking important decisions and everything. He will start being a public figure. Jeongin sighed as he watched outside the small window the royal carriage had, on his way to the city. He couldn’t imagine how bad the prince had to have spent his whole life, with no friends, alone in the castle. With no identity. 

Jeongin had no doubts to accept his “part of the job” when he was asked to. He also grew up with no friend at all. In that village, the kids were of different ages and they all knew each other in one way or another. The “school” was really messy, until they had to stop going there and start working in their family's business. Jeongin hated that. He never had the chance to make real friends, to consider someone his friend. In his free time, he tried to study and read a lot, to have some kind of education his mother would have liked him to have. 

Sadly, his mother died giving birth to Jeongin. At first, when he learnt about it, he couldn’t stop thinking about it being his fault. His father made sure that he stopped thinking that. Jeongin mother loved him so much, she said his child would be his entire life. His father said that the soul of his mother wanted him to be happy, that thought that Jeongin deserved to be happy. And Jeongin wanted to live up to that expectations.

The palace or castle or whatever it was called, has huge. It could be seen from far away. The city by itself was big too, probably several thousands of people would be living there. Jeongin gulped, admiring the different colors they had to offer, along with the happiness of the people in the streets. He could observe a lot of markets, fruit and food, clothes he never saw before, and a lot of variety. It was a whole new world. It had to be nice living there, ignoring how bad the country as a whole is right now, how they spent their whole life with the minimum. Jeongin didn’t know about other villages, maybe it was just his own village. Maybe he just wasn’t lucky enough to born in a good place. 

He looked at himself at the reflection in that full-body mirror, feeling strange with those robes along his waist. The texture of the clothes felt so different in his skin it was kind of making him sick. It felt so… Expensive. That could cost definitely his life. Well, actually, it did. He sold himself to the royal family, he sold his life to be committed to this family, to this life. He would to everything there at the castle, and had to serve the prince. Yes, he knew the word was “befriend”, but that felt the same as servitude.

The door opened, and the head of boy no much older than him appeared. He was tall, slim, and incredible handsome. His long black hair fell at both his face sides, revealing his beautiful forehead. His eyes looked fierce, but his smile was so calm it made Jeongin feel good. If he remembered properly, his name was Jinyoung, and he was the one who offered him a change of clothes and the one who brought him to that room. His new room.

“Can I enter?”

“Yes, sir”

“Ah, Jeongin. I told you there’s no need of honorifics. We are around the same age, right?”

“Well, I’m not sure. I’m not really sure when I was born. We don’t have a way of measure the time”

“I didn’t either. Then we must be around the same age, that’s what they said when they announced that you’ll come”

“Was I announced before?”

“Oh, yes. The queen called us and said that you would be coming soon”

Jeongin stayed silent, but Jinyoung were fast in taking his hands on his.

“It is okay. I was also once at the same position you are now. In fact, the prince… Has friends. Everytime they are in need of personal, the prince always asks for those with kids of similar age. The queen always gives in”

“Ah, I see… The queen seems like a good person”

“Yeah, the same as his son”

“Well...”

Jinyoung let go of Jeongin’s hands, and stepped back. Putting a distance between them. 

“I am deeply sorry if I overwhelmed you. Maybe Joshua was right and I should have let Dahyun to come instead...”

“It is okay. This is just… So new for me”

“Do not worry, Jeongin. I hope you can feel as you are at home as soon as possible. You can wander around the palace as long as you want today. I’ll see you at dinner”

So he did. He was still staring at his own reflection in that damn white wall, and felt awful inside. He was now going to life a full life of luxury and freedom, but at what cost? Jinyoung seemed happy too, maybe he left the same as Jeongin is feeling now. Maybe he preferred to befriend Jinyoung rather than that prince.

“Hi?”

A deep voice startled him. Jeongin faced the stranger who had the same height as him. Suddenly, he couldn’t move. A blonde boy was looking at him, curious eyes and a big smile, cheeks full of freckles. Freckles. Jeongin read a lot about them but it was his first time seeing them. It was also his first time seeing someone with real blonde hair. His first time someone took his breath away.

Jeongin blinked once, twice, but the boy didn’t move either. Both stood there, just looking at each other. Jeongin felt hot, probably his cheeks were now red. The blonde boy kept smiling but stepped back a bit. His clothes were similar to his, but the cute boy was wearing a red see-through shirt, decorated with some golden chains and a really big belt. 

“Can you talk?”

Again, that deep voice. Jeongin had to blink again and composed himself, nodding. He just needed time to comprehend that the deep voice belonged to that… tiny and cute boy.

“Yes…”

“Are you Jeongin?”

“Yes, and you are…?”

“I am Felix, the prince’s bodyguard. Nice to meet you!”

He extended his hand, just inches away from Jeongin’s body. He smiled awkwardly but held his hand anyways, shaking them. He looked… Weak to be the prince’s bodyguard, but Jeongin wasn’t one full of prejudices. He also looked weak and was strong. 

“I guess I will see you around a lot. I can show you around if you want, there is still some time left unt-”

“Felix!!”

Both of them turned right to see the owner of that voice. A boy around their age too was running towards them. He had a cape around his shoulders and had a sword in his belt. He was making so much noise, and Jeongin wondered how he didn’t hear him before. 

“Ah prince Minho!”

When the boy was close enough, he looked at Felix codly. Jeongin gulped, afraid. The… Prince, looked beautiful. He was stupidly beautiful. He had long hair too, but not as long as Jinyoung. He had something that made you feel attracted to him. Jeongin thought that maybe it was the prince aura.

“Haha… May I ask who are you? Are you perhaps Jeongin?”

Jeongin nodded fervently. He wanted to hide behind anything, he would hide even behind Felix. The gaze Minho was giving him was too strong.

“You are scaring him, prince”

Minho sighed and slapped his face. He made a strange sound of what Jeongin identified as a groan of annoyment, but didn’t know why. Maybe Felix did something to annoy him? He was annoyed because Jeongin hadn’t a proper behaviour? Minho lifted his face, with the most fake smile Jeongin saw in his life. He was sure it was almost as fake as the one he himself had right now.

“I am deeply sorry, Jeongin. We had our meeting scheduled for tomorrow. Now I am in a hurry and Felix just sneaked away, so I was looking for him. If you may excuse us, we will see you tomorrow”

He opened his mouth to reply, but Minho grabbed Felix’s wrist and dragged him, earning a sound of complain from Felix, who just smiled again and waved at Jeongin.

“See you tomorrow Jeongin!”

Jeongin stood there, waving Felix back with a little smile, watching how both disappeared and Felix seemed to claim Minho’s attention for a while.

He thought he couldn’t regret it more, but boy, how wrong was he. The prince had a terrible personality. He couldn’t do it.

It wasn’t long until Jeongin learnt about Minho, about Felix and about the other kids that were like him. Jinyoung were by his side the most since his bedroom was next to his, he was the nicest to him and encouraged him to meet prince Minho. Jeongin compiled and decided to give it a thought and go every morning to see prince Minho with a smile, with a happy attitude. After all, Jinyoung seemed way too happy when he talked about prince Minho. Dahyun and Seungmin were nice too, but they seemed rather busy doing other things than spending their free time following whatever prince Minho is doing. From sword lessons to study sessions, reading together or exploring the castle.

Jeongin found himself spending time with Felix, as Minho always kind of dismissed them saying that they bothered him or that they should be playing somewhere. Jeongin had no problem in being with Felix. The boy was the reincarnation of the sunshine, or that’s what Jeongin wanted to think. He enjoyed spending his evenings lying in Felix’s big bed, in Minho’s room, talking about a book they both read or about Jeongin’s life.

“How was your village?”

“Pretty poor. Jinyoung said he lived near to me”

“Ah, yes. Jinyoung was way worse than you when he come. He cried a lot and refused to see anyone, even his mother, for a week or so”

“He mentioned something, like a trauma or-”

“Yes. He felt bad when he left his friends there and he was also malnourished. I am really glad he came here. I really want this war to end”

“Are you and prince Minho close?”

“Very much. He’s like a big brother. He would even give his life for me”

“Isn’t that your job?”

Both boys laughed and Felix rolled until his head touched Jeongin’s, now one next to the other.

“It is, but it was a way of emphasizing that our friendship is what matters the most. I grew up with him. Until Dahyun came, it was just us two. Well, once a year we saw prince Hyunjin and Jisung, but when the war was at its toughest it was really hard to do something here. The mood was so down...”

“Did you study about the war?”

“Of course, you didn’t?”

“Our school closed… 6 years ago? I really don’t know too much about anything”

“You look like an intelligent person. I could arrange some classes if you want… I mean, I could ask Minho”

“It’s okay. I think he isn’t really fond of me.” 

Both boy’s smile dropped and Felix shortened the distance between them 

“Do you think he hates me? Maybe I shouldn’t be here”

“No, no Jeongin no”

Felix held his hand and Jeongin looked at him. They were so close. He looked again at Felix’s eyes, at Felix’s freckles. He was so beautiful. Jeongin never stopped thinking that.

It was awesome, how he got so… accustomed to him. How everything felt at calm when he was with Felix. How he really felt like he found something worth for. Jinyoung was good, but Felix was even better. A few weeks were enough to notice that, and to start loving his personality. Felix was kind, Felix loved flowers, Felix adored eating cake at 3am. Felix liked to sneak in Jeongin’s room and sleep with him, or to drag him out to the highest tower to do some stargazing, and of course liked to held his hand when they ran from Minho.

Minho was good too, even if Jeongin had few or none chances to see it. He could see in Minho’s eyes how much he cared about Felix, or how he cared about everything in general. At first, he just let Jeongin follow Felix and him, then explained that “befriending him” didn’t mean to be a pain in the ass, that he just had to live there and talk with him sometimes, do something together or befriend his others friends too. Even so, he heard that Minho was the funniest person on earth, or that he’s awesome in all meanings. He seemed like the perfect prince.

For Jeongin’s eyes, Felix seemed more like the prince the kids always dreams with. Jeongin felt his heart warm and his happiness overload when Felix was with him, or felt that he could be himself. He could tell Felix all his life, and Felix would listen. Felix was these type of person.

“Hey, are you listening?”

Jeongin came back at the real world, at Felix’s eyes.

“Yeah, I know you said Minho… I mean, prince Minho, is kind of shy at first. But I think it’s been a while since I came here”

“He said that it’s okay if you just call him Minho like everyone else”

“I know Felix but.. I sometimes feel like I am not good enough. Why I am even here? Do I really deserve to be here?”

“Of course you do, Jeongin”

“Then why me? It was just me because I was the son of a baker? It feels unfair. I don’t do nothing here”

“I like you here. Jinyoung likes you here too. I’m sure Minho and the others do too. I think it was just a… coincidence. Do you believe in destiny?”

“I don’t know. I’m feeling a little bit down now”

So, Felix hugged the boy who hid his face in Felix’s shoulder returning the hug. He stayed silent, just stroking the back of the boy. Jeongin opened his eyes slowly as he heard again Felix’s voice.

“Do you think it was selfish of.. of Minho, to ask for friends?”

“No… I know he must be feeling alone. Why is his identity a secret? He still lives here, everyone in the castle knows who he is. It is stupid if the enemy makes it here, keeping his identity a secret doesn’t make too much… I understand that he isn’t allowed to go out but… Asking for friendship and then acting like you don’t want it at all it’s kind of rude”

Felix smiled but didn’t laugh, Jeongin tightened the hug because he thought Felix would laugh at that. They stayed silent again. 

“The prince… Had it hard, you know. He sometimes thinks he is not worthy anything too. He had an argument with Seungmin when he first came. He said it was very low of him to ask for someone’s friendship. Friendship is something that should be earned, not begged. The prince cried a lot”

Jeongin said nothing but hugged Felix harder. He was the same. He though exactly the same.

“I think we are all the same, in all meanings. I think… It is not bad to ask someone to be your friend. I asked you to be mine, right? And still, even if the prince asked everyone to be their friends, they still accepted. It was just a plus, not a petition”

“Did it hurt you?“

“What?”

“Hm... I noticed that your relationship with Seungmin isn’t as close as it is with the rest. I thought that maybe you sympathized too much with the prince”

“Ah, haha, well.. You could say that”

No words were exchanged between them after that. Felix’s breathing was so relaxing for Jeongin, so like home. He felt at ease, he felt completely safe. Maybe it was truly his destiny, being there sleeping next to Felix in his bed inside the palace.

Jeongin was still asleep when Minho held him in bridal style and talked with Felix.

“When are you going to tell him? The situation with th-”

“I know, Minho. But I can’t.. I don’t feel brave enough”

“With Jinyoung you didn’t last this much”

Felix stayed silent and got up of the bed, resting his hand at his desk full of books.

“I know”

“It may hurt him a lot”

“Minho, don’t make me do it. Take him to his room already”

When Minho closed the door, Felix let himself cry.

“Who did you just said that it is coming?”

“Prince Hyunjin, Jeongin. This is the fifth time I am telling you”

“Sorry, Dahyun. Are he and Minho close?”

“Hm, not exactly. Prince Hyunjin is more close to Seungmin”

“Really?”

“Yes, would you like me t-”

Minho entered in the room, wearing the same clothes Jeongin saw him wearing the first day they met, including the sword. He was visibly worried and looked from head to toes at Jeongin. 

“Awesome, you look nice”

He came just in front of Jeongin and messed up his hair, earning a groan from him.

“Now I don’t”

“You need to look cuter, that hair didn’t suit you”

Jeongin sulked, but still left Minho to do him as he pleased. In this time, he and Minho became closer. He started to understand him, and Minho seemed more comfortable with him. They talked about the city, about all the citizens, and about the country. Minho seemed really concerned about it, but said that he couldn’t do anything until he was coronated. All the power belonged to his father whom Jeongin never seen. However, he had a few encounters with the Queen, long and beautiful blonde hair, blue eyes and a stunning smile. Jeongin liked her very much. She offered herself a few times as her new mother, and that made Jeongin feel good. His father was also comfortable with his new life, and Jeongin learn how to life happily there without regrets thanks to Felix.

Felix.

Now Jeongin was sure destiny existed, that everyone comes to this world in order to do something, for someone. Jeongin knew he had to meet Felix, in one way or another. He finally understood the feeling knights have towards their masters, or the feeling Felix must feel towards Minho to devote his whole life in protecting him. He admired Felix more than anything. Jeongin liked to call it admiration, it made him feel warm and happy. Holding Felix hand was a pleasure, and counting the freckles in his face was way better than counting the stars that were painted in the sky. 

His purpose in life, his will to life, was Lee Felix.

He could have never imagined a friendship could mean that much.

Jeongin forgot how to breathe for the second time in his life when he saw Felix again, standing right next to Minho, next to the throne. He was wearing all black but a red cape. He had his chain up, all serious and with his gaze fixed in the horizon. He stayed back, looking at him. The distance between them was so big, so so big. It reminded him where we really belonged to. Felix might be a human like him, but he grew up with Minho; that would mean that he is also considered as a part of the royal family. 

And Jeongin, it’s just Jeongin. 

It fell on him more when he saw that Hyunjin entering the door of the main hall. He was stupidly more beautiful than Minho, it that was even possible. Hyunjin had long tied hair with long bangs that made stand out his big green brown eyes. His look was fierce but at the same time it irradiated… Something else. You could easily say that Hyunjin was very full of himself, the confidence standed out. Behind him was what Jeongin supposed that would be Jisung, the “Felix” of Hyunjin as he is for Minho. He looked fierce too, or at least he looked like he wanted to give that kind of image. He was blonde and slightly smaller than Hyunjin. He was almost as the same height as him, and they both looked like they were around the same age as everyone in the room. 

He let out a big breath he didn’t know he was holding until they both passed their side, touching his heart and feeling Seungmin’s hand at his back, as a reminder to keep the composure. Even with the whole room in silence, he could not hear anything of what they said. He also couldn’t look at them, just looking at Dahyun and Jinyoung that were in front of him. He was told that their mission was just to be in the entrance, but Jeongin didn’t know that they literally just had to do that. He wanted to look at them, to see what they were talking about… Seungmin took his hand at the same time Dahyun opened the door, and the four of them went out along with some other workers that were with them.

“What happens?”

“They are going to talk about some serious things. We can’t be there anymore”

“Ah, I see...”

“You can go around for a while if you want Jeongin, it’s been long since you had time for yourself right?”

Right. 

Time for himself.

Jeongin spent the majority of his day with Felix, doing everything or doing nothing. The blonde took a liking for studying with Jeongin, claiming that if he had to learn the same content as the prince, Jeongin would have to learn it to. They also started going to the garden together, as the flowers were starting to bloom.

“Prince Hyunjin is already 18”

Felix said as he was transplanting one flower from one place to another, with Jeongin’s hands below them. 

“And that means…?”

“That he can get married already. His parents want him to marry princess Haseul, but…”

“And… That is...”

“The name of the princess of the kingdom we are in war with”

Felix smiled sadly at Jeongin and nodded, pressing the flower in the yard again.

“Yeah, but Hyunjin doesn’t like Haseul. He believes marriage for convenience is stupid. Contracts exists for a reason. But, he is troubled to do it. The last time they were here, a few months ago… We argued. Hyunjin came saying that he would marry Haseul because his parents said that would end the war between us. Hyunjin said he would pay for all our debts”

“How did the… war” Jeongin gulped, hands still below Felix’s, now holding nothing but air. “started?”

“Haseul parents said we didn’t send our monthly amount of… I don’t know, whatever they wanted for us, but we did. Father said we did. Something happened, and they got angry over nothing. So they stopped giving us supplies and forced almost every other country ”

“Are you close to Hyunjin?”

“He was the first friend I ever did. I don’t want him to throw this happiness away”

“I am sure that if he is offering to do so, is because he wants you to be happy. And if you are happy, he will be happy too, Felix”

Jeongin smiled at Felix, looking directly at his eyes. They were sparkling right under the sunlight and his freckles looked like real stars. Jeongin knew Hyunjin meant what he wanted to do, because he would do the same for Felix.

He still remembers that smile as if he was seeing it right now, under the same sky, looking at the plant they transplanted together. It was starting to grow, and it made Jeongin happy. He was bad at keeping himself occupied, and the others were doing their own things or getting ready for dinner, so maybe it was a good idea to clean his room a little. It was full of read and unread books, pieces of Felix’s clothes and a lot of his own around the floor. The maids offered him multiple times to clean up for him, but Jeongin liked it better this way. He took all of Felix clothes and went in direction to his room. He still wondered why the blonde liked to leave all his jackets or belts there, why it looked like he lived in that room with him. 

Jeongin stood there in front of Felix and prince’s Minho room, with his fist ready to knock the door, when he remembered that they should be occupied somewhere else, talking about Hyunjin’s marriage… probably. Even so, Jeongin opened the door with care. The door hit something slightly and Jeongin bend down to grab it. It looked like… a golden necklace. It had a small “M” engraved on a small medallion, similar to the one that Minho wore always. Maybe Minho lost it there. He put it on his pocket and went back to his initial purpose, but the curtain that separated the room in two halves was actually being used… or was tried to.

“Come on, I missed you so much...”

“Hm, should I?”

A voice Jeongin never heard before. He wanted to step back, to close the door, but something he shouldn’t. Whatever he did now, it was wrong.

“Yes, just one. Please”

“Wow, that is pretty low for a prince, for beg for a swordsman's to let y-”

“Sungie, stop playing. I really miss you and I don’t know when we’ll see each other again. Just let me do it”

“Are you feeling insecure? I always tell you that I love you. I really love you, Minho”

“I love you too, Jisung”

Silence. Jeongin heard silence, or something similar to silence. Jeongin didn’t want to think what were the sounds he was now hearing, muffed between wet kisses and something he didn’t want to identify as moans. He felt like crying, but didn’t know exactly why.

Someone tapped his shoulder and Jeongin got so surprised he let everything that he was holding fall, getting now an absolute silence and watery eyes. Jeongin wanted to cry so hard and run away. Jinyoung’s look was warm but not enough to make Jeongin feel better. Minho’s voice echoed into the room again.

“Felix?”

“It’s me, Jinyoung”

“Ah, Jinyoung. Good”

Minho's voice sounded more relaxed now and Jeongin let himself relax with it, holding into Jinyoung’s hand.

“I came here to collect some… Clothes. I didn’t know you were here”

“Hm, it’s okay. My fault for not letting you know before”

“It’s okay Minho, at least today you… slided the curtain. And it’s me”

“Yes yes, now go Jinyoung, go to bother Hyunjin and Felix or something”

“Ah, Min wai-!”

The sound of bed sheets and the laugh of what Jeongin identified as Jisung’s laugh echoed in the whole room at the same time Jinyoung dragged him out of the room and closed the door. 

Jeongin looked at the ceiling, sitting at the floor next to the door of the main hall again, in where everyone were having dinner. Everyone as the royal family. Jeongin stood there with Jinyoung, because he dragged him here. They stayed silent, Jinyoung did not ask anything and Jeongin did not ask anything neither. It was a silent agreement. Jeongin knew he shouldn’t have listened that and Jinyoung knew Jeongin had too many thoughts to organize them in such little time. 

Prince Minho and… Jisung. The swordsman of the prince from the neighbour’s country. It was so cliché it hurt him. But it was different. Jisung was a boy. Prince Minho was kissing and… he was in bed with a boy. He had some kind of romantic implication with a boy. Jeongin’s head wouldn't understand that. If he grew all his life thinking love was made for “boys and girls” then why the prince was kissing a boy? Was that allowed? How do you know that? Is… is it something between princes? 

The door opened suddenly, revealing Minho with a frown on his face that got relaxed as soon as he made eye contact with Jeongin’s watery eyes full of fears, who got up quickly as the mere sight of Minho. He looked at Jinyoung later, but he just smiled out of pity for Jeongin.

“Jeongin”

“Yes, prince?”

“I know it, but I am not angry. Please do not think too much about it. You did nothing wrong. Let’s talk tomorrow, okay?”

“O-okay...”

Prince Minho patted Jeongin’s head, messing his hair again. He felt good at the contact, and smiled a little.

“In fact, I came outside to ask if you have found a necklace similar to mine”

Minho pulled from the collar of his shirt his necklace, the necklace Jeongin thought it was from Minho. Automatically, Jeongin pulled the necklace from his pocket and handed it in to Minho.

“I’m sorry. I thought it was yours”

“It is okay. Don’t worry. Jisung cried when he thought he lost it, so I am glad Jinyoung told me that you were in the room too. I hope you sleep well Jeongin, see you tomorrow”

It was the first time Jeongin was alone with Minho, both in his room drinking tea while the sunset was happening. Felix went outside after a lot of bickering with Minho, because he wanted to “make out” the time he missed with Jeongin and Minho “didn’t understand”. Felix didn’t want Jeongin and Minho to be alone without him. Jeongin didn’t want, too. 

“Relax a little Jeongin, I am the same as always”

“Yeah, I know”

“What happens? Do you have something you want to ask me?”

“What are you?”

Minho choked on his drink, almost splitting it all over the room.

“What?”

“Do… Do you like Jisung?”

He smiled widely even with the eyes full of tears and wiping them away.

“Yeah, I do”

“But he is a boy”

“So?”

“Is that… Possible? I don’t understand”

Minho’s facial expression changed a lot after he finally understood what was happening with Jeongin. He left his cup forgotten and went up to bend at Jeongin’s side.

“When you love someone, Jeongin, gender doesn’t matter. What matters is what you feel here. When you are with someone you like, your heart either pounds a lot or finds some peace no one is able to give you. When you like someone, you want to devote your entire life for him. When you are in love with someone, you would give everything just to see that person smile. You don’t choose whom you fall in love with, it just happen. If it is a girl, or if it is a boy, that doesn’t make a difference. You just want to spend the rest of your life with him, or her. That is what I feel when I am with Jisung”

It just hit Jeongin like a cold big wave in his face. He got up suddenly and the desire of crying came again. He knew it. It was just in front of him.

“I am in love with Felix”

He didn’t mean to say it out loud. Now he couldn’t hide it. Now, he couldn’t think that his feelings for Felix were full of admiration. Now, he could think that it was okay to think about wanting to held Felix close, or to held his hand, or to want to kiss him. He put his hands on his face and started crying, safe in Minho’s arms. He said nothing but stroked his head. Minho was saying everything will be okay and Jeongin wanted to believe that. 

“We got a letter from Hyunjin today”

Felix’s grip on Jeongin’s hand tightened, so Jeongin turned his body to face Felix and be closer to him. He had some weeks to get accustomed to that new feeling, happy now to finally put it a name. He didn’t care if Felix someday returned his feelings, he didn’t care if Felix wanted to marry some cute girl from somewhere. He just wanted him to be happy, to smile around the flowers they planted together, to call his name forever. 

“He says negotiations with Haseul are doing good. She doesn’t want to get married either”

“That is good”

“I think that if we push a little more, the war can end up soon”

“That is good, right?”

Jeongin said, tilting his head when Felix’s eyes still looked sad. Even in that room with all the lights off and them below the starry sky, Jeongin could see the real color of his eyes.

“I am scared”

“Of what?”

“That they take me away from you”

“I am not going anywhere, Felix. I’ll be here right by your side as long as prince Minho wants me here, and it seems that he is fond of me now”

“I know, I saw you two became closer and are starting to spend time without me. I don’t like it”

“Why?”

“Because you are mine”

Felix’s eyes looked directly to Jeongin’s, who got up with his red cheeks unable to maintain the position or the connection between them. A few seconds later, Felix was seated in front of him and reconnected his hands again. 

“What do you think… about a boy liking a boy?”

Jeongin didn’t expect that type of question. Jeongin thought that if Jinyoung knew about Jisung, Felix must knew for sure. Maybe he was just checking on Felix too.

“I think it is okay. I didn’t knew it existed until some weeks ago, actually”

“Do you think it would be okay if two princes marry each other?”

“What?”

“Hyunjin said maybe it would be a good idea if we got married, that the negotiations with Haseul could be better”

“You… and Hyunjin?”

The mere thought about it made Jeongin want to cry. Why Felix? Isn’t Felix just a normal human like him? Then wh-?

“Minho! I mean prince Minho. Prince Minho and Hyunjin, getting married”

Jeongin lowered his head, looking at everywhere but Felix. Felix did the same.

“I thought you knew Minho liked Jisung”

“So you know”

“Yeah, I know. Negotiations are good but if… If Minho likes Jisung, you shouldn’t do that to him. Wouldn’t it be too cruel, to let him marry the man Jisung is forced to serve all his life? I know that you have a really strong power of decision on Minho but… Felix, would you like the opportunity of being with the person you love snatched away?”

“I don’t. But do you think it is okay?” 

“What is okay? Two boys together?”

“No… If it is okay for a prince to marry someone that hasn’t... royal blood”

“Hm… Well... No one really knows who actually has the royal blood. The princes identities are a secret for the public, you could even say that Minho is a girl. No one cares about it, they just want the peace and the life to return again. Things aren’t the same as they were before”

“Did you know that Hyunjin likes Seungmin?”

Jeongin found Felix’s eyes not looking at him. He was… Lost. Jeongin could not find any kind of light in Felix’s eyes. He felt sad. He couldn’t say anything, so Felix continued.

“Seungmin told me Hyunjin confessed the last time they were here”

“That’s… great, Felix. I hope we can find a way for everyone to be happy”

“Would you hate me?”

“What?”

“I am asking, if I did something really bad, would you hate me?”

“You… You are strange today Felix. I would never hate you, nor leave you”

Jeongin lifted his hand unconsciously to Felix’s hair, ending on Felix’s cheek and looking at his freckles again. Felix was kind of forced to look now at Jeongin and he swore he had tears trapped in his eyes.

“Promise?”

“I promise”

Felix smiled slightly and leaned into the contact of Jeongin’s hand closing his eyes.

“I like it very much, your touch on my cheek. It is like you are healing me”

“I do, too”

“I think I like you, Jeongin”

His cheeks turned red and his eyes widened, Felix’s remained closed. Jeongin felt shy but kept up the touch on Felix. He smiled a little when he saw the half-moons in Felix’s eyes and his freckles tinted with shades of pink.

“You think that? How do you know that?”

“I don’t know. I feel things I never felt before. Minho says it is because I am in love with you. I want to do things I never wanted to do with anyone, I want to hold your hand or show you everything I do. I want to watch our garden grow and I want you to be by my side when I have dinner, I… I want to kiss you goodnight and sleep hugged to you at night. You make me do things I never did before, Jeongin”

“Like what?”

“Lying”

“...What?”

Jeongin had his head full of thoughts, messy thoughts. He couldn’t think about it properly. Was everything Felix just said a lie? He wouldn’t do that to him, right…?

“Jeongin, do you like me?”

Even if he was scared, he grabbed Felix’s hand again and squeezed it. Jeongin smiled.

“I am in love with you, Felix”

And the next thing he knew was that Felix was kissing him. Everything felt alright, like they were made for each other. The word destiny said by Felix echoed at the end of his head while he devoted himself into the kiss. That Felix’s lips were chapped didn’t seem like a impediment to let the kiss deepen, or to stop Felix’s legs to trap Jeongin behind them.

The stars were the only witness of how they kissed each other, trying to figure out their own feelings, admitting to each other how much love were between them; that it was actually real, that their feelings were valid and genuine. And Jeongin thought how nice it feels to have your feelings reciprocated. 

“So this is how love feels like”, he thought looking at Felix, who was panting in front of him, with red cheeks and messy hair. He would probably look the same.

“God, I didn’t know… Kissing felt so good”

“Me neither. Maybe it feels like that because you’re doing it with me”

“Jeongin, I am the prince.” 

Jeongin’s eyes widened again and felt his legs go weak even if he was seated. Felix continued talking giving no time to Jeongin to react. He lose the contact between their hands, between their legs, between them. Jeongin felt cold, looking desperately for Felix eyes. Instead, Jeongin just found tears falling for Felix’s cheeks.

“Minho is my swordsman. I… I lied to you all this time. At first it was because I wanted us to be friends without the pressure of you being forced to be my friend. Then I… I felt comfortable with you. I was scared you rejected me. Soon, I started to think i liked you. I felt so insecure. I didn’t know i could like boys, that isn’t allowed to us, princes. I cried with Hyunjin about it. We should be getting married with princesses and making our fathers happy, but we are falling in love with people we are not supposed to, in all meanings. I didn’t know how to say it, because I was afraid of losing you, Jeongin.”

“Lix. I’m right here”

Jeongin wanted to be for Felix what he had been for him right from the start, he wanted Felix to feel enough comfortable to share everything with him, to feel comfortable enough. 

“I am not going anywhere”

And he did what Felix did to him once: hug him.

They hugged until they almost fell asleep together, waking up with Minho smoothening voice saying that he is not strong enough to carry them both to the bed.

Even if Jeongin said that, he avoided Felix for a week. Everything in the palace was now in their right place, but no one asked him how he was feeling. Jinyoung tried to comfort Jeongin saying that Felix did the same to him, but he listened one conversation so he didn’t give Felix a chance to confess. Jeongin couldn’t care less about it.

Now everything in his head made sense, from the meeting between them until the meeting with prince Hyunjin, the relationship between Minho and Jisung and the conversation Jinyoung had with Minho the day Jeongin discovered about them; the second meaning Felix always hided in their conversations. He was hurting too. It must be hard to have a life in which you have everything, everything but love; as hard as a life in which you have nothing, nothing but love. They were opposites but at the same time, the same.

Jeongin wanted to think that they completed each other, Jeongin wanted to believe his own words he said that night.

“Blood doesn’t matter”

But it mattered. Jeongin loved Felix, he loved him and he knew that if Felix sticked with him, he would ruin his entire life. Maybe Felix should marry Hyunjin after all. Hyunjin seems like a good boy. It would be better than him. He can offer the end of the war, he can probably offer his own land and a lot of things Jeongin couldn’t. His mind was starting to think that the kiss with Felix was something his mind just created to content himself. There was no way Felix would like him to.

Minho thought differently.

“It’s been a month since you started avoiding us. I knew Felix’s palace was big but I didn’t know you were so sneaky”

“Jinyoung said the same last week”

“You are making Felix sad”

“It is making me sad too, Minho”

“Then why are you talking with me now”

“Because you can kill me with this in any moment”

“What are you so afraid of?”

“Myself”

“Jeongin, Felix loves you”

“Maybe love is not enough, or it isn’t made for us”

“I think you read too much in the meantime. Stop saying those things. You two are dumb and in love. Go and fix your thin-”

“Minho, leave it”

Jeongin hear that deep voice and saw a tiny hand grabbing Minho who was still at the door, and before he could think about it he run to hold it. Minho stood there, looking at how “his kids” were looking at each other, with Jeongin’s hand on top of Felix.

“Wait, don’t go”

A whisper. Felix’s shoulders relaxed and let Minho’s shirt go, holding entirely on Jeongin’s hand. The touch he longed so much for, the touch he were scared to give but at the same time, the touch he never wanted to lose. 

“I will be going, then”

And Minho left them alone, smiling to himself.

They stood there, just looking at each other and holding hands, until Jeongin went back again in his room and let himself fell into the bed, inviting Felix to sit beside him. Felix denied with his head but still held Jeongin’s hand.

“Why you don’t want to give us a try?”

“Us?”

“I want us to be like Minho and Jisung are”

“You are the prince, Felix”

“I wasn’t until a month ago, you said it. Anyone could be the prince. I could make Seungmin the prince and he could marry Hyunjin and then we all can be happy but if- If me being a prince now is everything that matters to you now”

“It doesn’t. But I want you to be the prince. You studied hard for it, when you talked about how hard your life was because “you had to learn how to protect Minho” I know you talked about yours. You wanted to rule this kingdom and bring the war to an end”

“I don’t want to do it anymore if you are not by my side”

“What about the rest?”

“People just care about peace, right?”

“Yeah...”

“I love you, Jeongin”

Jeongin felt his eyes full of tears, and held Felix’s hand. He saw it in his eyes, how nervous Felix was. His body was shaking, his eyes full of tears too, red cheeks decorated with stars. Jeongin wanted to kiss them all.

“Felix, do you believe in destiny?”

“I do”

So Felix lowered his body and kissed Jeongin again, again, and again. 

Because Felix was sure he was made in order to make Jeongin happy.

The war ended a few weeks ago. Hyunjin walked around the castle holding hands with Seungmin and the amount of times Felix was expelled from his own room couldn’t be counted with two hands. Everything seemed to be okay. Felix managed to do an agreement with Hyunjin to combine both kingdoms, that Hyunjin would pay for Felix’s debts and that Haseul would sign an agreement with them too as soon as Felix was the legitimate ruler. That day, was today. 

Jeongin fixed his suit nervously while Jinyoung laughed at him, resting his back at the frame of the door. 

“Stop laughing, Jinyoung”

“You look so cute. You are so nervous. You should go and see how nervous is Felix. You two could do a match for it”

“Yeah yeah, whatever”

Dahyun finished fixing Jeongin’s hair, and gave him a little kiss at his head.

“You look gorgeous today, Jeongin. I’m sure Felix will cry as soon as he sees you”

But Dahyun was wrong. The one who cried, was Jeongin when he saw Felix standing there, just in front of all the population, inflated chest full of pride and a big smile plastered on his face. Minho was at the edge of his tears too, holding the crown Felix would wear from now on. Jeongin wish he could have some kind of gadget that allowed him to immortalize that moment forever.

The crown was made to fit Felix’s head, both metaphorically and literally. Jeongin clapped with everyone, proud of his significant other. He couldn’t wait to see Felix up close, to kiss those red tinted lips again.

Felix went down to the square were everyone watched him, as a tradition. Usually, the prince had to dance with the princesses already coronated that attended his own coronation. Felix asked for Haseul’s hand and they danced beautifully to the band that were happily playing for their little prince. Jeongin could hear girls gossiping about how beautiful the prince in reality was, and how his mere existence would bring up happiness to them.

Because Jeongin wanted to believe that everything would be good from now on, because Felix already had a full trip ready to go to every single village and ask for what they needed. Because Felix’s heart was bigger than anything in this world.

He blinked a few times when Felix’s hand was just in front of him.

“May I ask for this dance?”

Jeongin blushed, but still took his hand.

There were no walls but the sky was so bright, and everything looked so colorful he could imagine himself dancing with Felix under the sunshine. He wouldn’t change a bit of his life.

Jeongin didn’t thought about it carefully, but he was were he was supposed to be.

Because everything will be okay as it made him happy.

**Author's Note:**

> hi!!! i hope you enjoyed it a lot, regardless you are my secret stay or not!! i was actually quite surprised to find felix with a crown in my secret stay's carrd so i hope i created a good prince felix for you ><
> 
> let me know your thoughts about this or any kind of comments you want to make about it!!
> 
> i hope you enjoy your holidays, everyone!


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